Here we are again in the final month of the year but we can honestly say that this year has been like no other.
At Orchard Employment Law we have been a socially distanced shoulder to cry on, a virtual ear, a supporter of those businesses who have experienced growth and have had to keep up Employment Law changes which seemed to change almost monthly. We deciphered phrases like furlough, job support scheme and job retention scheme and tried to be there whenever we were needed.
We have seen some of our colleagues and clients struggle both personally and in business. Missing their loved ones, working from home whilst homeschooling, feeling the challenge of limited or no work or an increased demand for which they had not planned for. It is not all doom and gloom, we have also witnessed some amazing business pivots and even business mergers. Best of all community spirit has been wonderful and we have all learned to appreciate some of the simpler things in life.
Our team has grown to include Natalie one of our HR advisors. Lucy celebrated her 3rd year at Orchard. We also moved into a bigger office but ironically have spent much of the year working from home and it is fair to say that Jemma’s speaking skills have been in demand.
Jemma started the year by speaking at Olympia, a well known venue in London. By March it seemed as though business events would be a thing of the past but event planners and delegates across the UK moved to host some of the biggest digital events we had ever seen. It has been amazing to see how resilient and creative people can be. This resulted in Jemma speaking at over 20 events this year.
At this time of year we would usually be talking to readers about planning for the new calendar year however, we know that for many there is too much uncertainty for grand plans.
So with that in mind we just want to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope for a happy New year.